West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-12-23
THE ROMANCE OF A RING.
Pittsburg Dispatch.

and unused. Nobody could blame
hlm for thus idling his time away,
for it was Sunday aud there was
absolutely nothing for the poor man
to do but sit and muse. He had
been to church in the morning. He
expected to GO again in the evening.
so the weight of sins unatoned
did not press heavily on his soul.
On the contrary, he was light-heart-
ed and happy. So much so that
when a reporter wandered into his
cozy quarters the general, self-sat-
isfied expression on his countenance
spread into smile of hearty well
come.
"Tm glad you don't want me to
advance you anything on your over
coat said he, because | never do
business on Sunday. / guess / can
tell you something about the trade,
though, if that's all you want. Peo-
pie usually think that our business
is briskest in dull times. That's a
mighty mistaken idea, and I'll tell
you why. When a person pawns
ANYTHING he generally expects to re-
deem it at some future time, and if
he is not employed he does not like
to run the risk of forfeiting his
goods. If, on the contrary, he is
making a good salary, he is very apt
to live trihe higher than he ought.
1t is these that 90 to the pawnbro-
ker for help. Our principal pawn
ing days are Mondays, and on Sat
urdays we are kept busy redeeming.
Every pawnbroker has a number of
regular customers who, early in the
week, bring a watch or ring, or some
other valuable, around and raise a
little cash on it. On Friday or Sat
urday the article is redeemed, and
the next week the operation is re-
peated.
speaking of rings reminds me of
an engagement that was almost
broken off a couple of months ago.
The young lady in the case lives
well. in this city. She is very fond
of base ball-so fond, in fact, that
she watched the games very closely
last season, and had a bet or two on
every one of them. The first part of
the season she won, but along about
August she commenced to lose.
Here pocket money went to pay her
losses, and when that was gone she
commenced to pawn her valuab!es.
Her watch was brought TO me first,
but her father missed that, and she
had fo redeem it the next day or be
found out. Then she pawned a set
of ear-drops, and finally she brought
ne diamond ring, which | noticed
she took OFF the first finger of her
left hand. | suspected she was
gambling, and | hesitated about
taking the ring; but she answered
me she wanted only little money
to pay bill, aud would be able to
redeem it in few days.
Il guess it was about q week later
when she pushed into my shop
again. She was very much excited
and | knew something was wrong.
As soon as she could get her breath
she pulled her watch out and want
ed to know if would accept it in
exchange for her ring. knew her
family very well, so | told her that
| would not accommodate her unless
she told me what was the matter.
She refused at first, but finally she
came to terms and told me the whole
story. The ring was her engage
ment.
"Her lover hal been away, but he
had come home suddenly, and had
missed the little golden pledge of
their engagement the Grst thing
She had satisfied him by saying she
had left it on her washstand, but
that excuse wouldn't work more
than once, so she had to have the
ring or confess, and confession
would mean war. Well, l gave her
the ring and let her keep the watch,
too. She quit betting and week
later paid me all she owed me. A
couple of weeks ago she was mar
ried, and | am inclined to think she
is better wife than she would be
# she hadn't learned that little les
son on gambling"